Alpenfest II: The Night
by Cats070911
Summary: Sequel to Alpenfest this story focuses solely on what happened in her room. The first chapter is T rated and answers some of your PM questions. Later chapters earn the M rating.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** All usual disclaimers apply.

This is a continuation of Alpenfest telling the tale of what happened back in her room. This chapter is relatively mild but the next ones earn their rating.

This scene was inspired by one reader's PM and I thought given Tommy's womanising reputation he might well have a few seductive techniques that might surprise. Oh, and multiple chapters you ask; it was a long night!

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><p><em>"Now I do intend to seduce you...Your Ladyship."<em>

His words made her wonder if he had been listening to her secret thoughts the other evening. She blushed at the memory. Barbara had loved Tommy from afar for so long that now he was here with her it did not seem real. The last few days must be a dream that she was going to wake up from and be devastated to find she was alone in her flat. Worse still she would have to face him at work and he would be ignorant to what had happened in her mind. But she knew it was real. His nimble lips on her neck were not conjured from the recesses of her desires; she had not known a man could make her feel this way just by the lightest of kisses. _Make the most of it while it lasts!_

Tommy wanted tonight to be special. He did not want to race straight for the bed, he wanted to woo Barbara and pamper her so she knew she was truly his Countess. He stopped kissing her neck and hung his robe on the hook next to hers. He put the box down on the bed and lifted his jacket from her shoulders and hung it neatly in the wardrobe. He tugged at his bow tie and undid it leaving the ends hanging unevenly around his neck when he undid his top button. He removed his belt and twirled it neatly around the buckle and placed it on the table. He lit the fire, dialing the flame back to just a flickering glow then turned on one bedside light before extinguishing the main lights. "That's better," he said as he came back and embraced her. "Let's, oh... Hang on, I'll be back." Tommy was annoyed with himself and muttered about his forgetfulness as he unlocked the door.

Barbara was left staring after him wondering what was happening. She could hear his feet clumping down the stairs. A couple of minutes later she heard him bounding back. He reappeared with an ice bucket in his hand and a broad grin on his face. He locked the door and walked towards her.

"Sorry I almost forgot I put this in the refrigerator earlier," he said putting the silver bucket on the small table near the wall. He walked across and retrieved his box while Barbara eyed him curiously. He opened it and produced two flutes. "Champagne?"

Barbara smiled and nodded. "Why not?" Everything else today had been crazy. Champagne seemed almost mundane.

Tommy ripped off the foil and unwound the wire. With a practiced flourish he loosened the stopper then thumbed out the cork with a resounding pop. Barbara jumped and the cork disappeared over near the window. He quickly juggled the flutes to ensure not much overflowed. "We can't waste it."

Barbara looked at the bottle. She knew little about champagne but she did recognise the brand and knew it was expensive. "Not at the price this one costs!"

Tommy grinned and handed her a glass. "Nothing but the best for my fiancée. To a happy life together," he toasted as he clinked his glass against hers then sipped his champagne.

Barbara blushed. She had actually told him that she would marry him. _Was I mad?_ She only hoped that back in England he would still want her. "To a happy life together," she said more with hope than belief.

Tommy took her hand and walked across to the window. They stood sipping the champagne and looking out at the few twinkling lights of the edge of the village. He put his arm around her shoulder and waited for Barbara to relax. He wanted this to be perfect and could tell that now the emotional high of their conversation on the mountain had begun to fade that she was becoming anxious. He wanted them to look back on tonight with wonderful memories. This was the beginning of their future and whilst he knew she loved him he also knew she had agreed to marry him a little too easily. She was going to have doubts about his feelings, and hers, and he would have to support her.

Tommy was right; Barbara was nervous and unsure what was going to happen. She had expected them to start ripping off each other's clothes as soon as they walked through the door but oddly she had lost that urgency and so it seemed had Tommy. If she had a choice she would prefer to just lie with him, to kiss him and to fall asleep in his arms. Sex seemed almost as if it would spoil the night. Tommy seemed at ease and unhurried but he had a quite a reputation so no doubt he had set seduction routine of which champagne was the probably the first stage. Her experience was limited to one drunken night fifteen years ago when the man whose name she could not even remember had painfully relieved her of the burden of her virginity and then spent the night spread-eagled on her bed snoring heavily. It had not been romantic or loving. It was just sex. She hoped that tonight would be very different and that Tommy would not be disappointed.

He emptied his glass and placed it on the wide rim of the bath tub and folded her into his arms. She tried to focus but the way Tommy was holding her was how she had always imagined it would feel and she became lost in the warmth. His hands moved slowly over her back in soothing circles and he had locked her head to his chest with his chin. It reminded her of that one special hug they had shared and made her feel loved and protected as it had then. This time though he was hers and had promised never to let go. She could hear the calm, regular beat of his heart. She wanted to stay like this forever.

"I love you Barbara."

"I love you too Tommy."

His answering kiss was far gentler than she expected. It ignited the desire in her and she pulled him closer and started to kiss him furiously. Tommy backed off. "Slow down," he said softly.

"Sorry. I'm not very experienced at this." She was confused. She thought he would like her to be keen.

He stroked her face. He understood her past and had anticipated her insecurities. "It not the destination, it's the journey that's the best part. On the mountain I just wanted to feel you close. I would not have been able to restrain myself but here I want to show you I adore you. I want us to take tonight slowly and savour every touch."

His words sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. She nodded as if she understood but she felt lost not knowing what to do. She wished she had imbibed more so she could stop thinking about it and just get on with it. He should issue instructions like he did at work. She did not know whether to wait or start taking off her clothes, or his. At least if she disagreed she could just argue with him and they would sort it out. Here she was trying to guess what to do. She grimaced at her ineptitude and at her feet which were painfully reminding her that she usually wore flats. She started to bend to remove her shoes. That could not hurt either way.

"Let me." Tommy dropped smoothly on one knee and took off one shoe then the other. He massaged each one briefly before lowering it to the floor. He ran his palms over her calves and stopped at her hemline. His fingers edged their way under her dress and lightly brushed the backs of her thighs.

The intimacy of his touch raised goosebumps across her skin. She moaned softly. He was good at this; very good. She pictured him running his hands up under her dress then pulling it over her head. Instead Tommy stood and kissed her. Again it was slow and loving without any attempt to escalate the passion. Tommy led her back towards the bed and Barbara's heart began to race. Her palms became sweaty and her desire stirred.

They sat on the bed and he passed her the box. Frowning she opened the bland cardboard to see another brightly coloured one. She lifted it out. "Chocolate Lover's Box."

"Look again."

"Oh, Lover's Chocolate Box." She raised her eyebrow at him.

Tommy lifted the lid to reveal a layer of silky chocolates. "Do you prefer milk or dark chocolate with your lover?" he asked in low, seductive tone.

"Do I have to choose?" she answered flirtatiously.

"No, you can have all my flavours." Tommy picked out a chocolate and fed it to her.

Barbara peeked at the second tier of the box and chuckled softly. "You are a dark horse Thomas Lynley! Do you do this with all your women?"

"No, never but I wanted you to show you that Tommy has a sense of fun even if Lord Asherton and DI Lynley can be stuffy ponces at times. I saw this in a window in town and thought it might, er, go well with this room."

"I knew there was a lighter side, it's just that you rarely relax enough to let it out." Barbara leant over and tousled his hair thinking it would cause him to run his hands through it in the other gesture that always made her heart race. He did and she grinned.

"I feel I've lived my life on the balcony Barbara, looking down at the dance floor and never being game to dance. Anytime I venture down it's an abject failure and I rush back to the safety of my cloistered world."

Barbara could not help but feel touched. She reached out and took his hand and he pulled her down into an embrace. They lay quietly with her head tucked onto his shoulder and his arms wrapped tightly around her. "I've watched you for years doing much the same thing but we can dance too Barbara. Together we don't have to watch life pass us by whether we stay on the balcony or venture onto the floor. "

Barbara understood perfectly. He was right; together they could could conquer anything. "Dance with me now Tommy."

Tommy was reluctant to move but Barbara had already pulled out of his arms. He stood and shucked off his shoes then extinguished the bedside light. "It's nicer with just the glow of the fire and the stars through those windows," he said pointing to the arched glass ceiling,

Barbra looked up. She had forgotten about the ceiling. "The stars are so much clearer here than in London."

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but ourselves."

"Shakespeare?"

"Yes, Julius Caesar. I think I expected the stars to do it for me but you have taught me that I need to manage my own fate."

"How?"

"Like I finally did tonight instead of waiting for the perfect time that might never come." He extended his hand and Barbara accepted it then slipped her other arm around his waist. They danced as they had at the wedding, more of a mutual swaying to a tune only they knew. He held her hand close to his chest and kissed her as they stood locked together. Tommy hummed a lovesong as she rested her cheek on his chest then he nuzzled her neck and shoulder as she sang softly to him.

"I want to make love to you slowly Barbara. I want to worship you and spoil you like no other lover ever has."

"Oh you will," she replied huskily, "you have a very low base to compete with."

Tommy laughed softly then kissed her again. "Then perhaps it is better to say I want to love like I've never loved another woman. I want to give you my heart and my body and my soul." As they kissed they ended up against the bed. Tommy pushed her down until they were lying on the bed. Unconsciously they entwined their bodies.


	2. Chapter 2

Tommy broke their kiss and sat up. "Too much of that and I won't be able to stop."

"Mmmm, and the problem is...?" Barbara knelt up beside him and had her arms around his neck with her chin resting on his shoulder.

"Another drink?" Tommy stood and walked over to the bath where he had left his glass. Barbara followed him and accepted the frothing champagne. They cuddled close as they drank, their eyes never leaving the other.

Barbara had brought across the Lover's box. "Fancy a chocolate?"

Tommy selected a dark diamond shaped chocolate and placed it in her mouth. He listened to her chewing as she grinned at him. It was a rich, sensual sound. He always enjoyed watching her eat, although he had no idea why it appealed to him. The second chocolate he placed between his teeth. He leant forward as if to kiss her and passed it to her. He kept his face close as she ate it then kissed her. "Mmm, caramel fudge."

Barbara laughed then returned the favour. This time Tommy bit the chocolate in two. Some of the gooey strawberry fondant dripped onto her chin and he quickly licked it off. They swallowed their halves before Barbara grabbed the ends of his tie and pulled him into a savage kiss. He pushed his weight against her so that they fell back against the window. Barbara tossed his tie on the floor and undid a few buttons on his shirt as they kissed.

Between his thumb and first two fingers he had a chocolate that had started to melt. He held it just above her mouth. She raised her head slightly to reach. A drop fell onto her lips and she licked them in a way that enthralled him._ Do you know what that does to me? _A smile that he knew always made her emerald eyes go glassy crept across his face. He wanted to see that look now and know he had caused it. As her lips touched the chocolate it lost all shape and oozed between his fingers. Her eyes shone like crystal and Tommy inhaled sharply as her mouth brushed his fingers.

Barbara watched him closely then licked off the chocolate. His eyes dilated and he grunted softly as she took his fingers in her mouth one by one and gently sucked them clean. His eyes were always her undoing. Dark, mysterious pools of emotion that spoke directly to her heart. Tonight they were making love to her; slowly peeling away her fears. She wanted to dive into them, to disappear right into his soul. He smiled as he took another chocolate from the box. He placed it in his mouth and kissed her until the dark, minty chocolate had melted and disappeared.

As they kissed she felt her dress fall away from her shoulders. He pushed it down her arms and she wriggled back allowing it to fall to the floor still wondering how he undid it without her noticing. She was momentarily embarrassed to find she was standing in a window in her underwear with a man that until tonight she had not even kissed, yet that man was Tommy and it felt as though this was the most natural thing in the world. She unzipped his trousers. She expected them to fall but had forgotten the button. She fumbled for it so Tommy placed his hands over hers and assisted. He shook his hips and his trousers fell. He kicked them away then standing on the toe of his socks pulled his left foot free, then his right.

Barbara had expected his underwear to be utilitarian; functional, neat and close fitting. Instead he was in blue boxers and they had a pattern. She was intrigued and tried to look without making it too obvious.

"They're pandas," he said noticing her behaviour.

Barbara began to laugh. "Do you wear these at work?"

"Sometimes. I also have tigers and koalas. And do you always wear these?" he said as he flicked the strap of her black bra in his teeth.

Barbara blushed. She had bought them with the dress to make her feel a little more feminine, a little sexier. Now she wondered if subconsciously she had hoped this would happen. "No, definitely not."

"That's good," he said, "otherwise I will never be able to concentrate at a crime scene again!" He traced his lips around the contours of her bra noticing the affect he was having. He unclipped it and as he nibbled on her shoulder he slipped his hands under it. Her breasts were fuller than he had imagined but a perfect fit for his hand. He let his fingers explore the silkiness of her skin in small circular movements. He had often thought about their weight and texture. Her nipples tightened into small rock-hard nubs that he allowed to slide through his fingers. He circled them suggestively with his thumb as he squeezed just hard enough to make her gasp.

As he caressed her Barbara cried out his name. It had been a long time since someone had touched her intimately and his actions were telegraphed directly to her core. She was surprised to feel her heartbeat pounding in her groin. He held her breasts the same way she had the other night and it reminded her of the power she had felt standing naked by the window. She had wished he had been there then to satisfy her but now he was here, and she knew he would more than satisfy. She was vaguely aware that perhaps she should be pleasuring him in some way but all she could do was grip his waist tighter as he skillfully removed her bra and replaced his hands with his mouth. "Oh Tommy!"

This inspired her and soon her hands had undone his shirt and her fingers were exploring his chest. She dropped another chocolate in his mouth and kissed him, sharing the taste and the sensation as they rolled it playfully between their tongues. Barbara used another chocolate to trace patterns on his chest before she popped it into her mouth inviting him to kiss her.

Her fingers tickled and her teasing with the chocolate was alluring. Tommy smiled at her lovingly thinking that it was a good time to explore each other's desires further. "The second layer of the box," he said hoarsely. He fumbled in the box while he was still kissing her and closed his fingers around a tube. "It might be best if you put it where you want it," he said handing it to her.

She understood his meaning but instead pushed him down onto the rim of the freestanding bath and squeezed a heart shape on his chest. She stood close inside his legs and as she licked off the chocolate with exaggerated strokes she felt the pandas stirring. She grinned as he tightened his grip on her shoulders when he nearly tumbled backwards into the bath.

Quick as lightening he picked her up and spun her around so she was standing in the oversized tub. He climbed in after her and kissed her furiously as they sank to their knees onto the cool porcelain surface. Barbara tried hard not to think and to just live in the moment. She imagined Winston's face. He would never believe she and the DI would be cavorting in a bath smothering each other with chocolate. But they were and it was delicious, in every sense of the word.

"Not quite what I meant." Tommy was enjoying his journey but was beginning to think it was again moving too fast and when she handed him the tube he was firm. "No, I want you to tell me Barbara."

Barbara realised that her experience had been very one-sided. She had thought of sex as something being done to her but with Tommy it was clear he wanted to please her and have her enjoy making love to him. It was a powerful aphrodisiac. His seduction was not a formula, it was personal. "You have no idea how much I love you," she said almost out of context.

"Then show me Barbara."

She self-consciously squeezed a daub of chocolate on each breast just above the taut skin of her nipples. She writhed in pleasure as he ate them off as he gently suckled. He paused, looking at her with his usual grin and dreamy eyes. She squeezed a line down her abdomen stopping well shy of her scar. He put his hand over hers with enough pressure to force the chocolate out, drizzling a line over her scar. He traced his way down slowly and kissed every inch of her blemish. "I knew then that we would end up here one day," he said, "I should've listened to my heart."

His comment shocked Barbara. Before Helen had come back she had begun to believe something might have changed in their relationship. It had been a strange but comfortable few months but then he trotted back to Helen without a backwards glance and she again retreated to the role of his friend. "Then why did you go back to her?" It sounded bitter and she had said it before she had thought. She felt him freeze. "I'm sorry," she said hoping she had not spoiled the mood or worse.

Tommy embraced her and gently twisted them so that they could lie down in the bath. He leant on his elbow above her and said earnestly, "because I was a fool. I did not want to believe the truth that it had been a mistake and that I had married her for all the wrong reasons. It scared me to think I was falling in love with you. I thought the whole thing might have been happening again and that perhaps I made a habit of falling in love with my best friends. It was easier to go back than to face the truth. Now where was I?" Tommy grabbed the tube and squirted a line along the inside of her thighs and commenced to feast.

Barbara had always imagined torture to be painful but it could be exquisite pleasure as well. The cold porcelain chilled her back while his hot tongue was dangerously close to the hem of her rather high cut and lacy lingerie. He traced kisses over the hem and across the skimpy garment. His warm breathe triggered her unspeakable longing and when he slipped his tongue under the elastic she dug her nails into his back in anticipation and dragged them down. "Oh Tommy."

As the red marks formed on his back he cried out in pain losing interest momentarily in what he had been doing. "Ahhh!"

Barbara felt the welts rise under her fingertips then pushed him aside. She reached up into the ice bucket that sat on the ledge near the rim and pulled two dripping ice cubes from the slushy water. She knelt behind him and rubbed them over the marks. Barbara had no idea what she was doing, she was simply trying to take the sting out of the wounds she had created. "I'm so sorry."

The ice felt like fire and small runnels of water dribbled tantalizingly down his spine. He was half kneeling but collapsed forward, his arms resting along the bath's lip, as she rubbed handfuls of melting ice over his back allowing the water to run down his sides. He heard her squeeze the tube and warmth dribbled onto his cool back. As she began to lick it off his shoulder blades he tensed. He shivered and muffled his groans but they echoed around the bath as her tongue flicked down his spine. "I'm not. You have no idea how exquisitely painful that is!"

Barbara felt wicked. There was no other suitable word for it. She felt wanton and as if she had power over his pleasure. That made her slightly guilty but also incredibly excited. She wanted to see what he liked and also understand what pleased her. As he faced away from her she examined his pandas. They were cute and she absent-mindedly started to tickle them under their chins. Tommy almost giggled and shook his tail like a horse shaking off a fly. She steadied him by rubbing her palms over the well defined mounds of his rump then popped an ice cube under the elastic and let it melt in the small of his back. The water soaked through the cloth which stuck to him outlining the top of his rather cute tail. Blood rushed to her groin and she needed to touch him. Without thinking she grabbed the hem and pulled them down and off his legs.

The sudden movement took Tommy by surprise. He did not object as such but she had him at a decided disadvantage because he could not tell if she wanted him to stay or roll over. When she began to run just the tips of her fingers over both cheeks he tried to stay as still as he could fearing that any movement might bring him undone. She bit him him playfully and it was too much. He slowly sank down the edge of the bath. "Oh Barbara."

She traced her fingers down his thighs and calves pausing only briefly to explore the a sensitive spot behind his knees that her fingers had found. "I like your legs," she told him.

Tommy lay still waiting to see what would happen. He imagined ice cubes over his legs and grinned at the thought. Nothing came and he slowly rolled over to see her scrutinising him.

"Is everything alright? He had almost forgotten that she had not seen him naked yet and now she was staring at him and he blushed. He was relieved that his erection was harder than it had been since he was a teenager and that he was, as one lover had once put it, 'neatly packaged'. His testes stirred and tightened painfully and looking at her staring at him only made it worse. He watched her studying every part of him. She seemed fascinated by the way the skin seemed to crawl with its minute contractions. No one had examined him like that before but instead of being embarrassed he felt flirtatious.

She felt her face darken with embarrassment and desire. She had expected him to be mildly excited but something primal stirred deep within her when she saw him so obviously aroused. He seemed very generously endowed compared to her previous lover. _Did you just wave that at me? _The overwhelming urge to touch him frightened her. She did not really know what to do so she reached out with her finger and touched the very tip with her finger. It was hot and smooth as she ran her finger around the top. She smiled and flicked her eyebrows. "Perfect I'd say."

Tommy pulled her down and kissed her with urgency. He pressed against her and enjoyed it when she moaned. He ran his fingers lightly down her back and placed his fingers just inside the black silk. "You know I want to rip these off don't you?"

"They cost too much for that," she replied secretly hoping he would finish what he had started and pull them off with his teeth.

Tommy rose onto his knees and watched captivated as she lay below him. Slowly he peeled them down to reveal a reddish patch of fine curls. He continued to pull them down, running his fingers teasingly over her legs. Tommy threw the black silk aside noticing that they were damp. He ached to be inside her but it was still too early. He wanted Barbara to want him as much as he wanted her. He began to trace kisses up the inside of her thighs. One on the left, one on the right, each a little higher than the previous one. His hands rested on her knees with just enough pressure for her to shyly move her legs apart. He spent a minute admiring the view with a smirk on his face. _How do you like being inspected young lady?_

"Hmm! May I?" he asked.

Barbara smiled at his politeness. It seemed to be so very Lynley-like. She thought this was the moment of truth. She could feel his keenness pressed up against her leg leaving a little wet trail and was sure he was just as anxious as she was to consummate their love; newly discovered but long-held. His gorgeous eyes implored her and she had no hesitation even though she was surprised that they were making love in a bathtub. She was not sure what to expect but she knew she would enjoy it. She just hoped she would please him. "Yes but tell me what I have to do."

He smiled at her. "Just enjoy it and tell me to stop if you don't."

He nuzzled into the curls with a deep growl and was pleased at her shocked cry. He paused at the top of her thigh and inhaled her scent, an earthy muskiness that he found irresistible. He started to kiss her and slowly worked his tongue beyond the folds. They both groaned and Tommy smiled. This was not his area of expertise. It was too intimate an act for casual encounters and Helen and Deborah had thought the idea was too animalistic. Tommy disagreed. It was an act of intimacy, of trust, vulnerability and love. He had fantasised about making Barbara scream out his name as he pleasured her this way. It was erotic for him and he hoped a new experience for her. He thought it would be the perfect way to ensure Barbara understood how much he loved her and how he wanted to ensure her ultimate pleasure.

He had not expected her to be as swollen and wet as he found her and he had to pause to calm his own excitement. He ran his tongue along all the folds exploring what evoked the strongest groans. He inserted his tongue into her as far as it would go then repeated the action a dozen or more times. Barbara moved under him in slow bucking circles and her breathing was heavy and irregular. He understood that like him she was on the brink of something wonderous. He ran his tongue up and over the zone he knew would bring her undone. She was making a glorious noise of ecstasy and frustration. He experimented with swift strokes forward and back, forward and back but it was when he used the hardened point of his tongue in slow, firm circles that he felt Barbara grip his head and push rhythmically.

At first Barbara had been too embarrassed to react but his tongue was doing what her finger normally did but in a far smoother and less predictable way. She no longer had to imagine it was Tommy, this time is _was_ him and he was far better at it than she had ever been. She ran her hands through his hair and pushed him to exactly the spot. She felt mildly guilty that she was in raptures while he was waiting but she became lost in the sensation. Gentle waves of wellbeing started to flood through her. They built up rapidly until she could feel the warmth spreading across her torso as her abdomen rose and fell in time with her muscles contractions. She straightened her legs, locked her knees, pushed hard against him and let herself go. She knew she was calling out incoherently. Tommy paused and she pushed his head down hard to make him continue. Her breathing was uneven and she struggled for air and her heart was thumping in her chest. She floated into another world where the physical and emotion highs blended into a total happiness she had never before experienced. The physical pleasure muted into a long sensation of completeness and Tommy's movements became pleasurably painful. She pulled him away and he rested his cheek on her stomach.

Tommy shared the same post-orgasmic euphoria and had to check that he had not succumbed himself. Hearing Barbara scream his name at the peak of her obvious joy had made his whole body tingle. He felt alive and strong and very, very loved. He nestled against her and held her while they both had a chance to calm down. She was stroking his head and still murmuring his name.

Tommy crawled up next to her and lent in to kiss her. He was not sure if she would kiss him after that but she did, eagerly and deeply. She broke from his grip and still kissing him floundered around in the Lover's Box. Her hand finally closed around what she needed and she handed it to Tommy. "I want to feel you inside me Tommy."

"Put it on for me," he implored as he kissed her again.

Barbara started to panic. She had no idea how. She tore open the packet then confessed. "I've never done it before. I don't know how."

"That's okay. We'll do it together." He removed the condom and rolled onto his back. It smelled strongly of chocolate. He took her hand in his and guided her through the process. Being confined in latex was not something he enjoyed and they would need to discuss alternatives later.

"Tommy?"

"Yes."

"It smells chocolatey, do you think it tastes like chocolate?"

"I doubt it...oh my." Tommy was surprised that Barbara had decided to find out the most obvious way. "Not too much of that please!"

"Like dark chocolate with an undertone of rubber bands," she declared and laughed. Barbara was straddling his knees and when Tommy tried to kneel up Barbara pushed him down. "Do you mind if I do this?"

Again Tommy was not sure what to expect. It was now painful and he really wanted to hasten things rather than slow them but he also wanted to wait. Barbara kissed him and moved higher. She carefully lowered herself onto him and with a corrective wiggle to locate just the right spot she slowly lowered herself onto his shaft. At first she allowed just the tip to enter her as she moved slowly up and down before with one unexpected thrust she sank down taking in his full length.

Tommy mumbled disconnected words about love and wonder. His instinct was to move and he tried to lift his hips but she pressed down pinning him to the bath then leant forward and kissed him.

"Not yet Tommy, let me make love to you," she said breathlessly.

Tommy surrendered and Barbara kissed him again. This time her tongue moved against his in the same rhythm as her hips; slow and deep. His body had never felt more alive. The scent of warm chocolate hung in the air and she tasted of a heady mix of chocolate and her own musk from where he had been before. The reminder made him sigh with delight. She stopped kissing him and sat more upright taking him deeper inside her. Her movements were slow and deliberate yet seemed unpracticed. He suspected she was experimenting to see what affected him most._ Everything!_ He tried hard to watch her but her eyes were starting to bring him undone. He focused on the velvety softness of her skin and way that her breasts heaved as she moved. He wanted to nuzzle his face between them. His hands caressed her back and he pulled her towards him. He kissed her passionately before she began the grind against him sending little quivers down his legs.

She had not expected to find this erotic but she did. Tommy was letting her control everything and it aroused her in unexpected ways. She could tell he was close, very close, but so was she and she selfishly wanted to experience again that same orgasmic high that he had given her earlier. She widened her legs and found just the right spot to rub against. Three or four wriggling thrusts and the world shrank to just one wonderful, tightening sensation. "I love you Tommy!"

He fought the urge to let go until he was sure she was almost sated. Her eyes had melted into green pools of fiery love and the way she was looking at him confirmed that she was his, mind, body and soul. It was a total love that Helen had never been able to give him and he felt peaceful and complete. Tommy was watching Barbara who was smiling at him so lovingly that he did not notice that he had capitulated to the moment until he felt the first wave of energy leave him. He closed his eyes as every muscle in his body seemed to contract. She had him gripped tight. He started to thrust up and deeper into her. His heart was pounding and then he felt the fullness that he knew was the point of no return. The warmth started to spread as the pressure built and as it released electricity shot through his legs. His toes curled and he cried out her name. The pressure came again and again in what felt like the longest and most intense orgasm of his life.

Barbara smiled watching Tommy lose himself completely. He had gripped her sides so hard she knew she would have bruises tomorrow but it was worth it to see his face and know she had caused it. She had felt him expand inside her before the head thumped against her walls. She gripped him harder. It was raw and carnal but she also knew as he called out her name that he loved her. Barbara knew that no matter what happened and how hard being Lady Asherton might be from this moment on they would never be separated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's comment: **I do not particularly like this chapter and struggled to get it to work as I had planned but as I do not intend to write any more M-rated sex scenes in 2015 I decided to post it anyway.

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><p>Tommy pulled her to him and they lay wordlessly in the bottom of the bath still connected. She snuggled into his neck and straightened her legs, resting as much weight on his heaving chest as she dared. He was still whimpering softly as he stroked her head. When his breathing settled he lifted her head and kissed her affectionately. "You are a very remarkable woman Barbara Havers. Have I mentioned that I love you?"<p>

"Once or twice but I don't mind if you keep reminding me."

A few minutes later he pulled away and tidied up. He ran the bath and settled back with Barbara in his arms as the warm water swirled around them. He felt content and fulfilled. "Happy?"

"Mmm, more than I ever imagined I could be." Tommy hugged her and kissed her again as the water rose around them. "I know this sounds silly but I don't want to go back to work in a few days."

"Me either. Maybe we could tell Hillier there was a sudden blizzard and we are trapped here for weeks."

Tommy laughed. "Yes I'm sure he would believe that in the middle of summer. No, I mean I don't want to go back at all."

"What quit? It's part of who you are Tommy. Part of who we both are."

"Yes but we can be part of something different now. I've been thinking about your idea."

"Which one?" she asked dreamily still thinking about everything else that had happened and not believing that he would resign.

"I'm going to build a house like this one for us on the cliff. I want a bedroom like this with a tub and a fire. It will have to be soundproofed of course," he said raising his eyebrow at her as he cuddled her tighter, "and we'll have the kid's rooms at the other end. I think I will convert the main house into a museum of some sort to raise money for local charities. That way it gets preserved but we don't have to be bogged down in all the history. Mother's wanted to move to London for years."

Barbara was surprised but oddly pleased. The thought of one day living in the Howenstowe pile had horrified her. "Kid's rooms? How many are we having?"

"Rooms or children? At the moment I want six children and don't ask me why. I have no logic."

She sat up and looked at him to see if he was serious. "Six! Bloody hell Tommy! I was thinking more an heir and a spare." This had all happened so fast and Barbara was not sure of anything beyond wanting to spend every minute of her life with Tommy but six children was too much to comprehend.

"So you want children with me then?" he asked cheerily.

_Yes! _"Isn't it a bit early for this conversation? I mean...well this is our first bath together."

Tommy grinned at her. "First of many I hope."

"Me too." He turned off the water and grabbed the soap and washed her back. Feeling the soap glide over her skin was sensuous and when she washed him he struggled not pull her to him and make love to her again. They took turns bathing each other thoroughly and when they had finished they allowed the warm water to lap around them while they kissed.

After they had begun to turn wrinkly he found a towel and dried her while they stood by the fire. As he wiped his legs Barbara walked over to stand by the window. The night was darker as the stars were now covered by scattered cloud. She was almost in silhouette, the shape of her body highlighted only by the flickering fire. It was almost an hour since that wonderful encounter in the bath and Tommy felt an aching desire building. He moved up behind her and nuzzled her neck. "You have the most divine body."

"Hardly!"

"Just the sight of it does things to me."

Barbara turned her head and they kissed. "Yours has always had that effect on me."

"I remember. You liked to watch as I shower. Perhaps we can do that later?"

"Only if this time I can join you."

Her voice was low and unintentionally seductive and Tommy began to caress her breasts as he continued to trace kisses across her shoulder and up behind her ear. He moved his hands down across her body and stroked her thighs allowing his fingers to brush across her soft curls. Although no one could see them the possibility that they could be seen added extra spice to the encounter. He loved her but this time his desire was much more urgent and physical. Tommy wanted to take her here against the window. He wanted to hear her scream out his name again.

As Barbara looked out she remembered how she felt standing in that spot a few night before; powerful and sexy. When he started to kiss her neck she pushed back into him and could tell his thoughts mirrored her own. As he ran his hands over her she moved her legs apart slightly. The thought of them united as they looked out was thrilling. She had never imagined she would feel so free and uninhibited. There was a raw energy between them that demanded immediate release. "Yes," she replied to his unasked question.

Tommy obliged eagerly but not as she had expected. His fingers found her delightfully juicy and he moaned softly as he explored her body and her reactions. Her breathing became ragged and she pressed her palms against the glass to steady her. She tried to slow him down but he was relentless. He knew what she wanted but at the moment he had control just as she had had in the bath. He had no intention of letting her dictate how this went. Her pleasure was his pleasure and he would ensure she understood.

She tried to watch his face in the reflection of the window. He was admiring her with a seriousness and concentration that belied the situation. "Please Tommy," she almost begged. She arched forward hoping he would understand and enter her. He shook his head and smiled. The cold glass against her breast enhanced the sensations and she closed her eyes and relinquished control. It did not take long before her world exploded. She cried out to assorted deities but mostly called to him.

When she clamped her legs shut he withdrew his hand and turned her in his arms. He kissed her hard and with lustfulness that he had not felt earlier. She kissed him back with equal urgency. "I'll just get..."

"No! Don't please Tommy. I don't want any barrier between us. I want to feel all of you. I want to know that part of you stays living inside me for a while." It sounded so corny that she cringed but it was true, she wanted nothing between them and liked the idea of a part of him remaining with her.

"Oh God Barbara I want that too but what if...?"

"Unlikely but if it does then we'll deal with it then." She was less sure than she sounded and wondered if some primal desire to reproduce had clouded her judgement. At the moment she did not care.

She kissed him deeply and Tommy forgot his arguments. They were going to marry anyway and if he really wanted six children they should start soon. "I can't think of a better place to conceive the next Earl," he said only half joking. The very thought that they might conceive was unbelievably erotic for him and he pushed her against the window.

She was smiling at him and with one small movement they were aligned. He looked at her and she nodded. Tommy pushed against her and groaned loudly as he slid home. At first he did nothing but enjoy the sensation of being unrestricted inside her. She gently gripped him and he kissed her passionately. Slowly he moved concentrating on feeling each ridge and contour. His whole body felt electrified. He had never had sex standing up before but he could get quite used to it. He tried to adjust the angle to drive deeper. Barbara lifted her leg slightly and Tommy pressed her harder against the glass and lifted both her thighs. She wrapped her legs around him and he pushed further inside her matching his kiss to his rhythm.

His thrusts were too gentle. She beat her heels against his the back of thighs to encourage him to move faster and harder. He was too low to get friction where she needed it so she dropped her legs a little and instantly had the contact she craved. Barbara wondered briefly where her sexuality had been hiding all these years; with Tommy her needs were urgent and demanding. She felt him growing and sensed he was as inflamed as her. He stopped kissing her and leant his head on the glass next to her gulping air. He slowed his movements so she bit his shoulder hard enough to cause pain. He yelped then answered by pounding into her. Elation started to convulse through her and she dug her nails into his back. Years of repressed finally desire escaped. "Now Tommy...please."

When she bit him Tommy felt it directly in his groin. His response was instinctive and he drove himself harder and deeper into her. He felt his control waver and knew he could not hold on much longer. When all her muscles gripped him hard and she pleaded with him he stopped trying to hold on. His heartbeat thumped in his ears and behind his closed eyes the world went red. Barbara was writhing against him and calling out. The pressure balled up and then suddenly released in waves of indulgent, blissful repletion.

Tommy lowered her to the ground and held her tightly. They both struggled to get enough air and he felt faint. "I'm sorry," he said, "that was very...powerful but not exactly what I intended when I said I wanted to give everything to you. But when you bit me, I don't know… something fierce seized me."

Barbara laughed softly. "That was me. No need to be sorry, I'm the one that bit you," she said running her hand through his hair, "I think we both needed that. Did I hurt you?"

He shook his head then laughed softly. "Far from it but I've never had a biter before. First you scratch me then you bite me. You don't have whips and spurs hidden somewhere do you?"

"You'll have to wait and see." Barbara then remembered what else was in the box. "Besides, I didn't buy that box!"

They stood laughing and kissing and caressing each other lovingly until Tommy suggested a shower. They washed each other quickly. "Maybe later," Tommy said in reply to her arched eyebrow, "I'm not twenty anymore."

They snuggled under the duvet and kissed. Barbra was tired and after a while nestled into his shoulder. "Thank you Tommy."

He stroked her back softly and looked up at the stars. It was as if he had finally broken free. For the first time that he could remember he felt secure. He did not have to pretend or hide or do something everyone expected of him. Barbara had let him be himself. She had been open and completely trusting. She had wanted him in a way that went beyond physical. Tonight somehow their souls are merged. "I love you Barbara, far more than I ever thought I could love anyone."

Hearing that made Barbara feel alive and truly happy but she knew it was easy to say that now but would be a lot harder in London. She did not doubt that he meant it and hoped that their feelings would be enough for them to overcome all the obstacles she knew were coming. _He actually thinks people will accept me as his wife! _What shocked her more was that she was starting to believe she might just be able to do it. The way Tommy had made love to her had actually made her feel worthy of being his wife just as years ago he had made her feel worthy of being his partner. It would be equally as rough a journey so she re-affirmed her promise to live in the moment and enjoy everything. "You're the only man I've ever loved or will ever love. You are everything I love."

Tommy pulled her closer. He was never going to let go. As he drifted off to sleep he imagined them waking up in their new house with a tribe of laughing, happy children. When he woke Barbara was missing. He sat up in a panic until he saw the bathroom light. Relief flooded him then grinning to himself he quickly walked over to the chocolate box and pulled out the last objects from under the bottom layer of cardboard, the layer she had not yet discovered.

He sat on the end of the bed and as she returned to his arms she apologised for waking him. As they kissed Tommy could taste chocolate. "Were you hungry?" he asked.

Barbara lowered her eyes. "Yes but now I fancy something else."

She had her hands on his chest and kissed him mischievously but before she realised what was happening Tommy had slipped a soft cloth band around her wrists. He pulled gently to tighten the knot. "Do you trust me?" he whispered as he kissed her.

"Yes." Barbara was surprised but not alarmed. Tommy had a hidden side she had never imagined and it tapped into a part of her soul she had never known existed.

Tommy slipped a mask over her eyes and adjusted the elastic so that it did not pull on her ears. He felt Barbara pause momentarily before she began to smile.

"I always knew your lot were a bit kinky. Are we going to play Mr Policeman?"

"Not exactly; more like Mrs Detective." Tommy lowered her gently onto the bed as he kissed her. She put her tied hands above her head, arching her neck to expose her throat and opening her body to him. At that moment Barbara was completely vulnerable yet she was also the strongest he had ever seen her. She was giving him her complete trust, hiding nothing, allowing herself to let go of all her misgivings, her doubts and her inhibitions. She was giving every part of her to him. He knew some men would feel thrilled by the power but for Tommy it was not about power. No one had ever given him their love and trust so openly and it was a gift that made him whole. He needed to be wanted and loved to the exclusion of the world and here was Barbara, his feisty, argumentative and often frustrating sergeant who was the one woman who could truly love him.

"Sex wasn't part of my plan," he protested. Tommy had blindfolded her because he wanted her to find something not play sex games.

"Time for a change of plan then."

Lynley groaned as he accepted his fate. His lips and tongue danced down her body all the way to the ankles. Sex was not love but it was a sublime way to communicate the overwhelming love he had for her. The blindfold and ribbon had come with the box and as he had sat in his room that afternoon he had almost removed them before he had thought of a gentle way to use them. He had not known how she would react but he had suspected that if she liked the body chocolate she would be happy to explore further with him. He continued to kiss and tease her. She lay back and almost purred as his lips and hands wandered over her skin. Now that plans had been amended he was going to show Barbara that he needed her and loved her beyond life itself.

Tommy suggested he should untie her. Barbara was a little disappointed. She had expected and hoped that he would continue to torment her unmercifully. She wanted him to make love to her slowly, to worship her while she was helpless to do anything but enjoy it. "Are you sure?"

"Hmm, no," he admitted with a crack in his voice, "but I'd never take advantage of you."

"Even if I want you to?" Barbara knew from his voice that this was not part of his repertoire. This was as new and as exciting to him as it was to her. It felt inevitable that she would tie him up later and have her way with him. The thought of it made her heart race and her loins ache. "Make love to me Tommy!"

He began at her feet and traced his tongue up her body making sure no other part of them touched. He watched goosebumps rise on her skin and her body flush with colour. He nuzzled her neck then began to kiss her tenderly still not touching any other part of her. Her kiss became demanding and he moved over her. Supporting his weight so that just the very tip of him touched her he traced desultory patterns across her abdomen, creeping ever closer to the heat he could feel growing in her.

Barbara arched towards him. She wanted him, needed him; she burned for him to fill her heart and her body with his love. Not seeing him heightened her other senses. Each time he moved she could smell chocolate and soap and the piquant fragrance of their lovemaking. She was sweating and the breeze he created cooled her skin just enough to make her tremble. She wanted to pull her arms down and latch around his neck but as she lifted them her body lost the sublime tension and she felt him push them back against the pillow. "Oh God Tommy!" she howled.

He met her cry with a single, swift thrust that pushed her firmly against the mattress. He waited until her breathing settled slightly then kissed her as he made love to her. His actions were deliberate and agonisingly slow. With his head by her ear he confessed every reason that he loved her. He sensed when to move and when to stop, where to allow friction and where to taunt. Three or four times he built her up only to stop a fraction short while he poured out his soul to her. She smiled lovingly as she thrashed impatiently beneath him until at last he set her free and she screamed that she loved him repeatedly. It was only when he heard his own voice cry out that he realised his body had leapt ahead of his mind. Time stopped and yet the seconds were eternal. He opened his eyes and saw her looking at him with such adoration that he feared his heart might stop. He stopped breathing. He stopped thinking. He was completely lost in her eyes.

Barbara had ripped off the blindfold with her thumbs to watch him. Having Tommy make love to her was what she imagined dying to be. Her body was burning and she had to fight to breathe and yet she was pulled inexorably towards the light, wanting more. He had told her his darkest secrets and his deepest fears as if he was giving her one last chance to reject him. She never would; she never could but she knew she was not only pledging to love him, she was committing to becoming everything he needed. She wrapped her bound arms around his neck and pulled him down onto her and held him. Suddenly the concept of Lady Asherton was not a burden because he had vowed to also be Mr Havers. They could meet in the middle with a family home not burdened by centuries of history and a family of maybe four children. She laughed softly at the thought. "We really can be part of something different now."

"We already are," he answered solemnly. "By the way before we played Mr Policeman I had something for you." He reached up and felt around on the bedside table. "At least close your eyes."

"Tommy?" she said suspiciously.

"No games." She obeyed and he fastened a chain behind her neck. "Okay you can look now."

Barbara picked up the pendant and grinned. It was an alpenhorn with a large emerald set in the bell. "Well Sir, or is that Lord Asherton or Tommy? Have I mentioned that I love all of your flavours?"

"Once or twice but I don't mind if you keep reminding me," he said as he pulled her close and kissed her.


End file.
